"The church recognizes that if someone, moved by a sense of duty, and by the need to fulfill his oath and remain faithful to his calling, dies in the fulfillment of his duty, it will undoubtedly be an act of sacrifice. And, consequently, , this sacrifice washes away all the sins committed ".

This was said in his homily today by the

patriarch of Moscow Kirill

, head of the Russian Orthodox Church

The message is clearly addressed to the thousands of Russians involved in the "

partial mobilization

" to go and fight in Ukraine.

In recent days Kirill

had urged

the faithful to enlist with these words: "Go courageously to carry out your military duty. And remember that if you die for your country, you will be with God in his kingdom".